The DA-E750 is the world’s first dual docking audio system, designed to play music from Apple and Samsung Galaxy devices both wirelessly and through its built-in dock. It’s equipped with AirPlay, AllShare Play and Bluetooth 3.0, which already sounds pretty tempting, but with USB support and Samsung’s hybrid digital/valve amplifier also on board, it’s shaping up to be something special – find out how it fares in our exclusive review.

Design

Our first impressions after pulling the DA-E750 out of the box are overwhelmingly positive. The unit’s build quality is sheer luxury – it’s satisfyingly heavy, plus the Red Mahogany with hand-polished finish lends elegance and sophistication (likewise the alternative Black Mahogany Wood finish). The construction is easily on a par with other ‘high-end’ docks like the Monitor Audio i-deck and the B&W Zeppelin Air – it really is a beautifully made unit.

There are plenty of other aesthetic touches that make this dock stand out. The silver cone surrounds and phase plugs on the front panel bring a touch of glamour; the window showing the red-glowing valves is not only stylish but unique; and the round panel of controls on top is quirky yet practical. It’s a shame that there’s no display panel, but there’s a danger it might have ruined the minimal aesthetic.

On the back is the hidden iPod/Galaxy dock. Putting it here is a clever move as it doesn’t clutter up the minimal front panel and keeps everything nice and clean. The sturdy dock opens with a smooth action, as opposed to the flimsy plastic trays you sometimes find on docks and home cinema systems. There’s a support that slides up and holds your device in place (particularly useful for iPads), which provides a steady base, and also in the box are spacer covers for the connector that’s not being used.

Connections

Also on the rear panel is a useful array of sockets. The USB port allows you to play media from storage devices, while the 3.5mm minijack input lets you connect other portable audio players.

Despite having built-in Wi-Fi, the Ethernet port is still an important socket as many listeners prefer the stability of a wired connection when streaming large files. It also allows those without Wi-Fi to use the streaming features.